This apple cake is soft, moist and full of apple flavor. It is easy to make and you only need 4 ingredients to make it. This cake does not require any eggs but you won’t be able to tell. This cake takes only about five minutes to prepare and you don’t even need a mixer.
I’m excited that apple season is here because I love apple flavored desserts. This apple cake is full of apple flavor. It’s an easy one-bowl recipe that can be enjoyed year round but is especially good this time of year.
Ingredients
- Applesauce
- Self-rising flour
- Butter
- Sugar
Applesauce: This cake is made with unsweetened applesauce. You can use plain applesauce or cinnamon applesauce for more flavor. You can also use homemade applesauce. Just make sure your applesauce is unsweetened. Any added sugar to the applesauce will change the texture of the cake.
Self-rising flour: Self-rising flour is all purpose flour that is already premixed with baking powder and salt. I always use self-rising flour when I can because it saves me a few extra steps and dishes but you can also easily make your own self-rising flour by combining all purpose flour, baking powder and salt.
Butter: Melted butter gives this cake a very soft and tender crumb.
Sugar: Regular granulated white sugar is used to sweeten the cake and adds moisture to the cake.
How to Make Apple Cake
- The applesauce, melted butter and sugar are first whisked together until smooth and uniform.
- The flour is then folded in with a spatula.
- Transfer the batter into your prepared cake pan and the cake is ready to be baked.
- Once the cake cools, you can cut and serve. You can also decorate it. When I make this for my family, I prefer to leave it ungarnished, but when making this for a party or friends, I will add frosting and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
Cake Texture and Sweetness
This cake has a soft, moist and tender crumb. Even though this cake is eggless, it still has a crumb like a classic cake made with eggs. The cake is sweet enough on its own so you don’t need to frost it.
More Apple Recipes
4 Ingredient Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (371 g) unsweetened applesauce can use cinnamon or plain
- 1 1/4 cups (239 g) granulated white sugar
- 4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter melted
- 2 2/3 cups (351 g) self-rising flour see note before starting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-inch square pan with non-stick cooking spray and then line with parchment paper leaving some overhang for easy removal later.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the applesauce, sugar and melted butter until evenly combined. Add the flour and fold it in with a spatula until flour is completely incorporated and there are no pockets of unmixed flour and no large flour/starch clumps. Make sure to only use a spatula to mix and not a whisk or beater, otherwise you will overmix the batter. The batter will be thick.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly across with your spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The surface of the cake should also bounce back if you press on it lightly.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before cutting and serving or decorating. Store uneaten cake in fridge.
Notes
- Self-rising flour: This recipe was tested with Gold Medal brand self-rising flour. There is a varying amount of protein content for different brands of self-rising flour which will affect the texture and outcome of the bread. Gold Medal self-rising flour contains 3 grams of protein per 1/4 cup. Please use a brand of self-rising flour with 3 grams of protein per 1/4 cup for this cake.
- Homemade self-rising flour: If you don't have self-rising flour you can also make homemade self-rising flour. Make sure your all purpose flour has 3 grams of protein per 1/4 cup. Most all purpose flours contain 3 grams of protein per 1/4 cup but there are some brands that contain higher or lower protein amounts which will affect the recipe.
- Combine 3 cups all purpose flour, 4 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 3/4 tsp salt. Whisk together until evenly combined. Measure 2 2/3 cups for the recipe. Save the remaining flour for another recipe.
- You can use plain applesauce, cinnamon applesauce or homemade applesauce. Just make sure it is unsweetened applesauce. I like using cinnamon applesauce for more flavor but I have also made it with plain applesauce for a more pure apple flavor. I tested this with Whole Foods 365 unsweetened applesauce and unsweetened cinnamon applesauce.
- Optional Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 8 oz cream cheese (brick type), softened to room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
- To make the frosting: Add butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until creamy and light. Add vanilla extract and mix in on low speed. Gradually add 3 cups of powdered sugar on low speed until completely combined. Add enough powdered sugar for a thick frosting that is still spreadable over the cake. Start with 3 cups and add more if needed. This recipe makes a generous amount of frosting. You likely won't need it all but I wanted to include enough for those who prefer a very thick layer of frosting.
- For the cake in the photos, we also drizzled caramel sauce over the frosting.
- Estimated nutrition does not include optional frosting.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
